With the increased cost of aluminum ore it is becoming more and more necessary to recover the metal from aluminum scrap. This process is made relatively difficult due to the fact that aluminum oxide has a melting point of above 2000.degree. C whereas aluminum metal has a melting point of approximately 660.degree. C. This problem is particularly troublesome when it is desired to recover the aluminum from an aluminum dross comprising a large portion of aluminum.
Traditionally aluminum scrap is smelted in a rotary drum or hard smelting furnace under a salt slag. Such a method is relatively effective, however has the enormous disadvantage that the gases generated by the process are serious pollutants. In addition the salt slag itself is potentially extremely dangerous so the operation must be carried out under stringent safety precautions, thereby considerably increasing the cost of the product.